The weekly habits that stop it coming back
Three small things keep a dishwasher sweet. Scrape plates properly but stop pre-rinsing them spotless — modern detergents need something to work on. Rinse the filter under the tap once a week; it takes thirty seconds and prevents nine-tenths of the problem. And leave the door ajar for half an hour after the cycle finishes so the inside dries instead of stewing.
Add one full empty hot cycle a month to that list and you will more or less never think about this again. I keep it pegged to the same day I water the balcony pots, because a habit attached to another habit is a habit that survives a busy week.
How often should I clean my dishwasher?
Rinse the filter weekly, wipe the door seal and detergent drawer every couple of weeks, and run an empty hot maintenance cycle roughly once a month. If your machine runs twice a day for a big household, or you regularly wash very greasy roasting trays, move that maintenance cycle up to every two or three weeks. The spray arms only need checking every few months unless cleaning performance drops.
Why does my dishwasher smell even after a hot cycle?
Nine times out of ten the smell is coming from somewhere the hot water never reaches: the fold of the rubber door seal, the bottom lip of the door, or a filter that was refitted while still greasy. Clean all three by hand and leave the door open to dry after cycles. If the smell persists and water seems slow to drain, check that the drain hose isn't kinked behind the machine and give the sink waste it shares a hot flush — and if it still lingers, it's worth having an engineer look rather than adding more products.
